How to Boost Your Business Productivity

In any business, productivity is the ultimate key to success. It’s what gives you the greatest possible output for a given input, allowing a business owner or manager to maximize their resources. When there’s no possibility for additional staff or equipment, it’s up to the manager to make do with what they have and look for strategies that boost productivity. The specific steps a manager will take of course depend on the unique qualities of the business, but here are seven general methods for making a business more productive.

Make Use of Technology

In the modern era, it is foolish not to take advantage of all the ways technology can help make a business more efficient. From simple spreadsheets to online purchasing, there is boundless potential in a computer to make your business more productive. Instead of having employees getting up and leafing through papers on a bulletin board, consider making a company-wide Google Docs account so everyone can get the information they need right from their desks. Install an electronic inventory system to optimize your buying and selling processes, allowing you to stay constantly on top of your supplies and keep less inventory on hand.

Delegate Tasks to Trusted Team Members

Sometimes, the manager’s lack of time can bog down the operation of a business. You might be the best person to lead every endeavor, but you can’t be everywhere at once, and there’s a good chance time is being wasted while others wait for you to analyze a given situation and make a decision. Find team members you can trust and put them in charge of the tasks you think they can handle.

Cut Down on Distractions

It’s no secret that the internet is a huge distraction in the workplace. And as much as managers would like to do it, employing a “no-phone” regulation breeds resentment among workers who feel they’re being dealt with like children. What managers can do is foster a mentality of distraction-free working with phones to be used only during breaks. That way, employees feel they’re buying into a common cause rather than being patronized by a domineering boss.

Make the Workplace Comfortable

In general, happy employees are productive employees. Maybe you think cutting back on heating or air conditioning costs is a boost to overall efficiency, but in the end this kind of thinking is penny wise, pound foolish. If your team members are constantly sweating or chilled to the bone, they’ll be more concerned with making themselves comfortable than with their work. Try to keep the place around seventy degrees Celsius, and make sure the lighting is pleasant and the chairs are comfortable. That way, the workers will feel good and more easily stick to the task at hand.

Create a Positive Vibe

A sullen, angry workforce will never be as productive as it could be. In an ideal workplace, the employees are motivated and the office pulsates with good vibes. As a manager, it is your job to create this type of atmosphere.

Use Positive Motivation

Like any team, sometimes your employees need a motivational boost from you, their leader. Try incentivizing good work with tangible rewards, which can be as big as an extra vacation or as small as a free coffee. This will make the person being rewarded feel appreciated and compel the rest of the team to work just as hard. Eventually, this pattern of rewarding productivity will instill a culture of efficiency.

Seek Constant Efficiency

There is no such thing as “maximum productivity” for a business. No matter how efficient your company gets, there will always be room for improvement. Keep this in mind, and seek to make the business just a little more productive every day. This means making constant, minor adjustments with the long-term goal in mind. Down the road, you’ll recognize the results.

Alex
 

Alex is a small business blogger with a focus on entrepreneurship and growth. With over 5 years of experience covering the startup and small business landscape, Alex has a reputation for being a knowledgeable, approachable and entrepreneurial-minded blogger. He has a keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing small business owners, and is able to provide actionable advice and strategies for success. Alex has interviewed successful entrepreneurs, and covered major small business events such as the Small Business Expo and the Inc. 500|5000 conference. He is also a successful entrepreneur himself, having started and grown several small businesses in different industries.